The Modern Western Discussion (was "sci-fi western discussion")

[nacho]

I still haven’t started Book of Boba Fett. Did it stick the landing?

Kenobi trailer just dropped. This I will watch.

https://youtu.be/TWTfhyvzTx0

Oh, Uh, I said this in the Stra Trek thread:

As for Obi Wan, I am so very much on board with Star Wars rebranding itself as western sci-fi. I forgive almost every story telling and bad casting sin of Boba Fett and Mandalorian, and I am prepared to forgive every sin of Obi Wan as long as Star Wars stays in clunky, junky, western mode.

Boba Fett didn't land at all. In fact, after a handful of episodes, they brought in Mando. So now Boba Fett is actually Mando season 2.5... And, BTW, it's also required viewing if you want any hope of understanding the next season of Mando. Very clever of them. If you don't watch Boba Fett before season three of Mando you'll be totally lost. Two of the seven episodes are almost entirely Mando, tying up all the season two storylines, and Boba Fett is nothing more than a supporting character in the finale...which ends with a set-up for Mando season 3.

It's actually frustrating and shameful in terms of the narrative, because I kind of liked Boba Fett. And I'm a Ming-Na apologist. Anything that keeps her working is fine by me. But we really only get him for three episodes, then a weird turning point episode, and then Mando season 2.5. 

[RottingCorpse]

My biggest beef with Obi Wan (and all Star Wars TV) is their insistence to reference everything in all the 2000s Star Wars cartoons, though I guess that's how you keep your media empire afloat, eh?

That said, I think post Clone Wars Obi Wan will be a lot of fun.

[nacho]

The easter egg thing is getting ridiculous. It's a game now where, with EVERY Star Wars and Star Trek show, you get dozens of Easter eggs. The last episode of Picard was almost a full casting call for DS9.

Hell, even the final season of The Expanse was obsessed with this. In the finale all the marines landing on the base were named after the marines from Aliens.

One thing I did like about season one of Mando was that...it was just Mando. You could sit down without knowing anything about the Star Wars universe except "Yoda was a good guy and the Empire has fallen" and enjoy it. As we've evolved from that first season, Star Wars TV now demands that you go back and rewatch all the movies and absorb more and more of the EU as possible before each episode.

Star Trek's even worse about this. Lower Decks is one easter egg after another. The whole premise of the show is built on easter eggs. Discovery is 1000 years in the future and they're all still talking about Voyager and Q.

[RottingCorpse]

This has become out default "Star Wars TV" thread.

Watched the first episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi this AM, because I couldn't help myself (Waiting to do the second tonight with Missus RC.) I loved it. They do a five minute prequel recap at the top that makes those movies look like the best films ever made.

No spoilers, but there's a weird "promise of the prequel premise" being fulfilled here. And the story itself has the classic film serial vibe that really makes OG Star Wars feel great.

[nacho]

This has become out default "Star Wars TV" thread.

Watched the first episode of Obi-Wan Kenobi this AM, because I couldn't help myself (Waiting to do the second tonight with Missus RC.) I loved it. They do a five minute prequel recap at the top that makes those movies look like the best films ever made.

No spoilers, but there's a weird "promise of the prequel premise" being fulfilled here. And the story itself has the classic film serial vibe that really makes OG Star Wars feel great.

Ewan was the best thing about the prequels, so I don't really have a problem with Obi Wan.

Plus, since we're 20-25 years BEFORE Mando and Boba Fett, it'll be nice to not have a Mando crossover in the middle of the season that completely ignores Obi Wan for all of the back half episodes.

I'm sure Captain Andor will fill that role, though.

[nacho]

Oh my God! I LOVE that those three fucking movies can be completely recapped in three and a half minutes.

[RottingCorpse]

Oh my God! I LOVE that those three fucking movies can be completely recapped in three and a half minutes.

Right?

I like the set-up for this a lot. Way better use of kids than say, the prequels.

[RottingCorpse]

I really like this Obi-Wan Kenobi show. Think its all being handled really well. Was afraid they might botch Vader's return a bit, but all the right notes are being hit.

[nacho]

I really like this Obi-Wan Kenobi show. Think its all being handled really well. Was afraid they might botch Vader's return a bit, but all the right notes are being hit.

Yeah, I loved the "Anakin's alive" reveal. it explains so, so much. And was well done.

I am appalled by the outpouring of racism and sexism against the Black chick, though. Jesus...the entire Star Wars community is so fucking toxic. All the Star Trek people are like, yay, minorities and gays and gender fluid people!

Star Wars people are like, a Black person exists in the galaxy? NO NO NO!!!!

And let's give credit where it's due: Obi-Wan only works because McGregor is a masterclass actor.

[nacho]

I love Andor and I LOOOOVE this:


https://youtu.be/t9Pccq0DZVc

[RottingCorpse]

I still haven't watched Andor. It's my X-Mas break watch.

[nacho]

I still haven't watched Andor. It's my X-Mas break watch.

Concludes today. We love the fuck out of it!

Less lovely is The English, which is a slow-paced fish out of water revenge story that's very aware of our treatment of the Indians. It somehow embraces and avoids all the usual cliches at the same time. Very interesting storytelling, but... Not much happens. Definitely a "Neo-Western" with great performances by Emily Blunt, Hollywood's current go-to Indian actor Chaske Spencer, and Stephen Rea whose only job is to chew on the scenery. The good news is that it fucking ends so we don't have to wait two years to see what happens. A nice open and closed story, period, goodbye, would you like a free Echo Dot?

[RottingCorpse]

I don't want to muddy up Nacho's NuWho thread, but I *still* haven't watched Andor and everyone I've talked to says Ahsoka is impenetrable unless you've watched 32,573 hours of Star Wars cartoons.

I liked the Obi-Wan show though?

[nacho]

Andor is the best Star Wars since Rogue One.

Ashoka is the worst Star Wars since the prequels.

[monkey!]

So... been catching up with this new Disney Star Wars faggotry.

Obi Wan Pedo was pretty good!

The Mandalorian was good... until I got to Season 3 and realised - only by checking online - the reason I didn't know what the fuck was going on was because I need to watch that Bob Feta Book Club Show before. *SIGH*